Page 129 of Wrapped in Their Arms

“Me too,”Brightadmitted, fisting his hands against his thighs.

The heat was building.Sowas the fatigue.

He could feel it dragging at the edges of his consciousness—an invisible weight pressing down on his limbs.

Noelle was already fully out, her breathing slow and soft.Herhead lolled gently against the padded cushion, her hair tumbling over her shoulders.

We need to get her to safety.Wehave to call theMotherShipto fold space.Now.

“Quick—call theMotherShip,”Brighturged.“Weneed to fold before we all pass out.”

“Doing my fucking best,”Burngrunted, brow furrowed as he toggled controls.

The shuttle trembled under them.

A soft whine built beneath the floor panels—a vibration that ran throughBright’sbones like a warning signal.

Slowly—agonizingly slowly—the vessel lifted from the docking bay floor.

Bright leaned forward, staring out the curved front viewscreen.Thecity spread out below them like a bad memory—Thune’sopulent palace rising in the center, lit in soft pinks and violets, garish and obscene.

As they rose higher, the atmosphere thinned, and stars bled into view beyond the horizon.Theouter curve of the planet peeled away behind them like rotten fruit.

And still,Brightcould feel his body shutting down.

So close.Justa little farther.Justa little more…

His vision swam.Hishead drooped forward once, then jerked back up.

He looked toNoelle.Herfingers twitched faintly in her lap, her body limp with exhaustion.

Goddess, please let us make it.Justlet us make it back.Letthis all be over.

Then darkness crept in at the edges of his vision, dimming the stars, pulling him under andBrightknew no more.

70

BURN

Burn’s vision wavered like a busted hologram—flickering between sharp clarity and a dark tunnel closing in around the edges.Heblinked hard, trying to keep the controls in front of him from doubling.Theunfamiliar console seemed to swim beneath his hands—alien metal, too shiny, too smooth—its buttons glowing in queasy shades of purple and green.

Stay awake.Gottastay awake…fuck, don’t pass out now.Notnow.

His tongue felt thick in his mouth.Everymuscle in his body felt weighted with stone.Thefucking pink drink—whatever chemical cocktailThunehad dosed them with—was dragging him down like a fucking black hole.Hishands shook as he tried to navigate the bizarre circular com panel.Noneof the symbols looked familiar.

Beside him,Noellewas unconscious, her head lolling to the side, her dress slipping down one shoulder.Inthe seat behind him,Brightwas slumped over too—his breathing shallow.

I need to get them home.Haveto.Haveto!Burnraged at himself.

He forced his hand up, fumbling his fingers across the glowing com sigils.Hisbreath came ragged, each inhale burning in his chest.

“Come on…come on…” he muttered thickly.

A high-pitched ringing filled his ears.Hisheart hammered so hard it made his vision pulse.

If he didn’t call theMotherShipin time…the shuttle might do the worst possible thing—activate its own homing program and carry them straight back intoThune’sclaws.Evenwithout hitting theHomewardBoundbutton, the shuttle might still default to its owner.

And if they were dragged back…